Weighing scale



April 13 192,6. R 16,323

M. J. wssl WEIGHING SCALE Original Fi 1917 s sheets-sna 1 April 13 1926. Re. 16,323

. M. J. WEBER wmenme SCALE Original Filed J 1917 sv Sheets-Sheet 2 April 13 1926.

M. J. WEBER WEIGHING SCALE Original F iled Jan 1917 s Sheets-Sheet 7 a 7 9J5 5 5 toy v a Z 2 m z V w v H I 9 R 6 4 6 o 3 "m 4 Q v a. r45 u a wk 5 a 9 2 6 M M. ,0 H(I 6 8 5 5 v ===Z//////// w m with Reissued Apr. 13, 1226.

nrnns J.

WEBER, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, BY KESNE ASSIGNIE NTB, TO

THE HBALTHOIITEB CO., A CORPORATION 01 ILLINOIS.

wamnnm scans.

Original Io. 1,840,802, dated December 4, 1917, Serlal Ito. 148,347, Med January 18, 1817. Application for reillue fled November 87, 1935. Serial No. 71,787.

T 0 all wkom z't may concern:

Be it known that I,',MA'rHIAs J. WEBER,

a citizen of the United States, and a. resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Weighing Scales; and I do hereby declare that the 0 lowing description of my said invention,

taken in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings, forms a full, clear, and

exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it a ppertalns to make and use the same.

* My invention relates generally to improvements in weighing scales, an it consists,

essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination of parts and details of, Q'OIlstructi n,

- as hereinafter first fully set forth and de- Gil scribed and then pointed out in the claims.

The object of my present invention is the production of an eflicient and serviceable weighing scales which, although well adapt- ,ed for general use as a counter scales, is more especially designed'for automatically taking 1 the weight of humans; and for this urpose, the scales, is to be preferably place onto' a floor so that afperson, desiring to ascertain h s weight,can readily stepupon the scale ,pIat-fQrmand by looking down onto a rotatsect-ion able, indexedfdiahi can see how much he weighs. And for'sthe purpose of making these scalesvery'. compactand readily portable, h'exs'c-ale mechanism is of the springt pebonstructiohwhich lends-itself; best to t e purposes for which my inventionis desig ed. Inthe drawings, which disclose .the preferred embodiment of my invention, and which form a part of this specification, qFigure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved scales. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.- -Fig. 3 is .a longitudinal vertical on line '3-3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a planqview below the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a jtransverse sectional view on line 55 of Fi". 4. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the rotate le dial detached,and Fig. is a vertical section of the same on line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of a fragment of one of the springs used in this appa-' ratus, and showing the means for tensioning this spring.

these drawings, A designates the base of the scales. This base is a substantially rectangular shell having in its top surface a depression 12, and in its body several compartments 13, formed by lon' itudinal and transverse ribs or bars 14, which ribs serve also as strengthening bars to the structure A. Upon this base there is mounted a casing or housing B, comprising two side, and two end walls 15, 16, 17 and 18, respectively, said walls havi-nglaterally extendin lugs 19, re-

cated in the casing a beam 27, which beam is medially suspended from a bell crank lever 28, to be hereinafter more fully set forth. The two extremities of the beam 27 are punctured, and in these openings there are secured tensioned springs 29, 30, with one of their ends, the other ends of said springs being hitched to the bottom member 22 of the rectangular frame in a peculiar manner,

. as follows Within the lower portion of each spring there is secured a brLlt 31, shown in detail in Fig. 8, which'bolt has a comparatively long head 32, which head is externally screwthreaded to engage the interior convolutions of said spring. Below this head there is a polygonal wrench section 33, and the shank of this bolt, which enters a bore 34, in the lower memberv22 of the rectangular frame, is internally screw-threaded tobe engaged by an adjusting screw 35'; while a seat screw .36, actin on said; screw when app ied, prevents sai bolt from rotating, which would disturb the tension of said spring. This peculiar method of attaching the lowerends of the springs 29, 30, to the bottom member, affords means for. properly adjustin the tension of said springs, so as to in icate weight correctly; it being understood that these springs are made of a suitable grade of which a bearing plate 42, is secured by screws 43, said bearing plate supporting said pinion shaft near the front wall of the casing C.

From the forward face of the lower, or bottom member 22 extends forwardly, a bracket 4-4 and to this bracket there is pivoted, by a pivot bolt 45, a toothed rack 46, which engages with the pinion 40, a spring 47 being provided to keep the rack and pinions in proper mesh.

To the outer face of the front plate 15 of the casing, there is secured, preferably by bolts 48, a cap D, dish-shaped in contour, there being at the apex of said cap a window .frame 49, in which there is a transparent plate 50. \Vithin this cap D there is located a rotatable dial E, shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7. This dial is a dish-shaped structure of preferably thin sheet metal so as to be very light; and from its bottom 51 matcly 45 degrees, to the plane of t tom side out, as shown in Fi 5.

of the present scales being extends a run 52, at an angle of approxil8 bottom. This bottom is centrall punctured at 53, Fig. 6, and the outer en of the 'inion shaft 39 is reduced in diameter, ant over this reduced portion the dial is placed, bot- Scales' of the nature described are rather roughly used; articles to be weighed being usually placed onto the platform rather carelessly, and often thrown thereon, which causes the'dial to rotate rather suddenly and. rapidly, so that the inertia of the dial, resisting rotation, may cause the dial to become loose on the pinion shaft. To avoid this objection, I exterior-1y roughcn or groove the reduced portion of the shaft 39 adjacent to the shoulder thereon, and onto this roughened portion 53 I force a washer 54, having a projecting nose or dog 55, 'assing through the elongated portion or s 01: 56, Fig. 6, in the bottom of the dial; a second washer 57, and lock-nuts 58, on the outer surface of the bottom 51 being provided to securely lock the dial to the pinion shaft.

The dial E is graduated on the outer peripheral surface of the rim 52, into prefcrab y 250 divisions, the maximum capacity 250 lbs.,and the indices are so placed that one series thereof, 59, is located near the marginal edgeof the rim, so that it will read right when viewed from the front of the scales, while the second series of indices 60, is located near the jointure of the rim of the bottom, and this series of indices reads right to a part standing on the platform C and looking own on the dial, a hair-line 90, drawn on the transparent late 50 serving as an index-pointer. By us constructing the dial the reading thereof can be ascertained by a person standing on the platform, and by another standing in front ;of the scales, all at the same time.

I have heretofore referred to the bell crank lever 28, and shall now proceed to describe its construction and its function.

From the back plate 16 of the casing projects two lugs or ears 61, wherein the bell crank lever is ivoted upon a bolt 62. The long arm of this bell crank lever extends downwardly, and it is acted upon by an adjusting screw 64. The other, shorter arm 65, of said bell crank lever is offset and notched near its terminal, and in this notch 66, the beam 27 is suspended.

The object of the adjusting screw 64 acting on the lon arm of the bell crank lever is to raise or l ower the beam, and with it and the springs 29, 30, move the rectangular frame dial accordingly so that b manipulating this adjusting screw 64, t1e dial can be brought to the zero mark when there is no weight on the platform, which is necessary when assembling the-scale mechanism, and may also become necessary after the scales have been in use for some time.

the entire rectangular frame and the platform, this movement does not affect the tension of the springs, nor the accuracy of the scales.

When the scales are placed upon a floor, it is more or less diflicult for a personstanding on the platform to read-the index on the dial owing to the fact that there is fre quently not suflicient light to see the index. To overcome this objection, I provide meansfor lighting the'dia], such means includin" a small electric incandescent lamp 68, placer at the side of the window frame 49, a battery 69, located in one of the compartments 13 in the base A, a push button projecting from the upper surface of the platform, a switch 71, located underneath the platform, electric conductingwircs 72, leading from the battery to the switch, and thence to the-lamp, and a return wire 73, leading back to the battery. By these means a person stepping onto the platform will step onto the push button 40, thereby the electric circuit and cause the cent lamp to glow so that he can the index on the dial.

incandesplainly read When stepping otf person or persons.

05 and the rack andpinion, and the I Since moving the beam 27 as described moves with it closing her 17 of the casing B, by

the platform, the electric circuit is opened and the lamp extinguished.

In order to properly guide the rectangular frame with its superposed platform in their vertical movement, and with the least possible frictional resistance, I resort to th following mechanism:

Connected to the side member 23 of the rectangular frame are two links, 74, 7 5, the former link being pivoted to said side member at. one end by a pivot bolt 76, and the latterlink being pivoted to-said side, member at ,the lower end thereof by a pivot bolt 77. The other ends of said links are pivoted to the back wall of the casing by pivot bolts 7 8. These two links form, as it were, a parallelogram, and as such guide said rectangular frame in one direction.

Connected to side member 23 at right angles to the links 74, 75, are two transverse links 79, 80, the'link 79 being pivoted at one end to the member 23 by a bolt 81, while the link 80 is pivoted atone end to said member 23 by a pivot bolt 82, the other ends of said links being pivoted to the end memivot bolts 85. To the side member 24 of t e rectangular frame there are pivoted links 83, 84, the arrangement of the ivotal connections being the same as that o the links 80, 81, so that the two pairs of links 79, 80, and 83, 84, guide said rectangular frame in the other direction. 1.

It is obvious that by thus guiding the rectangular frame and the platform attached thereto, I have reduced friction to a minimum, so much so as not, to affect the accuracy of the scales to an a preciable extent.

I have heretofore state that the base A has in'its top surface .a depression 12. This depression serves to receive extensions 91 on the front, rear, and side walls of the casin B, whereby said casing is strongly supporte on said base and prevented from lateral movement thereon, a construction which adds materially to the rigidity of the entire structure.

The function of the adjusting mechanism, shown in detail in Fig. 8 and hereinbefore described, is best explained by reference to Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. In the adjustment and tensioning of the springs 29, when the scale is just assembled, the rectangular frame comprising the top member 21, bottom member 22, right side bar 23 and left side bar 24, is positioned with the bottom or basal member 22 barely touch ng the under side of an abutment B, which in the present instance is preferably formed as a lug integral with and projecting inwardly from the casin wall 16. By reference-to Fig. 3, it wil be seen that the upper end of each coil spring is secured through the eye of the ivoted beam 2? and the lower end of t e coil spring is the scale should register two hundred and seventy-five pounds for the. two hundred and. fifty pound weight, the springs are shortened by applying an instrument to the angular-shaped shoulder 33 of the bolt 32, whereby to thread the bolt shank into the convolutions of the spring. whereby to shorten the spring, lessening its number of effective or working coils. This adjustment is continued until the scales read correctly. But, having changed the number of effective coils, we have also correspondingly altered the distance between the eye of the beam 27, to which the upper spring is hitched, and the lower member 22 of the rectangular form. An inspection of Fig. 8 will at once make clear that this is due to the fact that as the shank 32 of the bolt screws into the convolutions of the spring, it necessarily carries with it, through the intermediary of the adjusting screw 35 having threaded connection with the internally threaded portion 31 of the shank, the lower member 22 of the rectangular frame. And when this lower member 22 is carried upwardly it disturbs the previous predetermined or set relation of this lower member 22 with respect to the. abutment B. The disturbance of this set position is more clearly illustrated should the adjustment of the shank 32 be in the opposite direction. that is, if we lengthen the effective length of each spring 29, the shank 33 will be moved downwardly, thus carrying the base member 22 of. the frame away from lug or abutment B. It is vital that the initial position of this base member 22 barely touching the under side of the abutment B, be maintained at all times for the proper operation and registration of the scale.

In order to again restore this predetermined position of the base member 22 with respect to this abutment B. after the effective working length. or, what is the same thing, the tension of the springs 29 and 30 'have been adjusted by screwing the shank 32 of the bolt reatively into or out of the convolutions of the spring. resort is had to the adjustin screw 35, which screws into the internal threaded portion 31 of the shank. For instance, during the beforementioned adjustment of the tensions of the'se springs. if the base member 22 has been moved downwardly or away from the abutlnent B, the adjusting member 35 is rotated to screw into bolt 32, thereby moving the base member 22 upwardly until it barely touches the under side of the abutment B. This latter adjustment serves to always maintain a fixed distance between the eye of the beam 27 and the base member 22, to wit: the effective or working length of the spring with its connection with beam 27 plus the length of the adjusting means including the internally threaded shank 31 and the adjusting screw 35 enga ing this lower member 22. The function 0 the said screw 36 is to preclude inadvertent turning of t-he adjusting screw 35, thereby preserving the proper adjustment of the scale and also preventing the adjusting screw 35 working loose from its threaded engagement with shank 33 during shipment.

I have, furthermore, shown the incandescent electric lamp 68 placed at the side of the window frame 49; but it is obvious that this lamp may be laced directly over said window frame, as i lustratcd in Fig. 5, or in an other convenient (position.

have heretofore escribed with considerable minuteness the preferred embodimentof m invention, but I desire it to be understood that many of the details of construction may be varied, and parts omitted with-- out departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the subjoined claims.-

Havin thus fully described this invention, I c aim as new, and desire to secure to myself by Letters Patent of the United States- I 1. In weighing scales of the nature described, the combination, of a casing, a rectangular frame in said casing, said rectangular frame having to bottom, and side members, said rectangu ar frame being pivotally mounted in said casin a platform mounted on said rectangular rame, a beam sus nded in saidrectangular frame below sai top member, springs hitched to the extremities of said beam at one of their ends and to the bottom member aforesaid at their other ends, a rack ivotally secured to said bottom member, a aft in said casi said shaft having a pinion engaging saii? rack,

- and adial mounted on the outer end of said shaft, said dial comprising aplane circular bottom and a flaring rim thereon, there be ing on the outer surface of said rim two series of indicia indicating weight.

2. In weighin scales of the nature described, the com ination,,of a casing, a rectangular frame in said casing, a beam in sai casing, springs connected to said beam and to 881d rectangular frame, a rack bar connected to said frame, said rack bar moving in a vertical plane, a shaft rotatably mounted in said casing, said shaft being in horizontally disposed position, a pinion on said shaft meshing with said rack bar, a dial at the outer end of said shaft, said dial being constructed to rotate in a vertical plane, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted in, said casing, said beam being medially suspended from one arm of said bell crank lever, and an adjusting screw constructed to act on the other arm of said bell crank lever to move said frame in vertical direction, said adjusting screw passing through, and projecting from, the rear wall of said casing.

3. In weighing scales of the nature described, the combination, of a base, a casing mounted on said base, a platform above said casing. iring-actuated mechanism located in said casing, a rotatable dial in front of said casing and connected to said spring-actuated mechanism, said dial comprising an annular disk, an annular rim on said disk, said rim having a conical surface, said surface being at an angle of ap roximately 45 degrees to the plane of the disk, indices on the-outer surface of said rim, said indices including two series of numerals, one series being readable correctly from one position, the other series being correctly readable from a. different position.

4. In weighing scales of the nature described, the combination, of a casing, weighingnmechanism mounted in said casing, and a rotating dial connected to said weighing mechanism, said dial comprising an annular disk, an annular rim on said disk, said rim having a conical surface, said surface being at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane of said disk, there being on the outer surface of said rim two concentric circles of numerals, one of these circles of numerals being correctly readable from oneposition, the other of said circles of numerals being correctly readable from a different osition.

5. In weighing scales of the nature described, the combination, of a base, a casing mounted-0n said base, weighing mechanism in said casing, a platform above said casing and connected to said wei hin mechanism, arotating dial in front ofsaig dial being connected to said weighing mechanism, a switch on said platform, said switch having a push-button from said platform, an electric attery in said base, an incandescent electric lamp in front of said dial, an open, electrical circuit connecting said battery to said switch and said lamp, said circuit being closed when a person steps onto said push button, and again opened when said person steps o'lf the platform.

6. A platform scales having automatical- 1y operating mechanism for lighting and extinguishing an electric lamp when an article is placed on the platform of said scales, and

casing, said removed therefrom, said mechanism includs ing .an element projecting above the said platform, which element when depressed an article placed on said latform will c ose an electric circuit to liglit said lamp,

7. In weighing scales, weighing mechanism including a platform, an electric inn candescent lamp connected to said scales, and automatically operating means connected to said platform for lighting said lamp when an article is placed onto said platform, and extinguishing the same when said article is remoi'ed from said platform, said electrically operating mechansuiinclnding a switch secured to said platform, said switch having an element above said platform constructed tov be depressed to close an electric circuit to light said lamp when an. article is placed on said platform onto said element, and to open said electric circuit when said article is removed from said" platform, to extinguish said lamp.

8. In weighing scalcs of the nature described, the combination of, a housing, a stationary abutment thereon, a rectangular frame pivotally mounted in said housing and adapted to beinitially positioned so that one ofthe members of said frame shall have a predetermined position relative to said abutment, a beam pivotally suspended in said housing, springs connected to said beam and said rectangular frame and means for regulating the effective length of said sprin and for maintaining the redetermine position of said frame member relative to the abutment comprising a bolt having a tubular internally screw threaded shank, a head on said shank, said head being externally screw threaded to engage the internal convolutions of said spring, an adjusting screw enga ing the said tubular screw threaded shan and a. set screw acting'on said ad'usting screw to prevent inadvertent rotation thereof.

9. In weighing scales of the nature described, the combination of a housing, a stationary abutment thereon, a rectangular frame pivotally mounted in said housin so that one of the members of said frame s all have a predetermined initial position relative to said abutment, a beam pivotally suspended in said housing, springs connected to said beam and said rectangular frame, and means for regulating the tension of said springs and for maintaining the redetermined position of said frame mem er relativeto said abutment comprising bolts each having a head provided with a screw thread to engage the convolutions of a s rin and each provided with an angular y s aped portion for turning the bolt, whereby to ad- ]ust the screw threaded portion thereof relatively to the convolutions of a spring, a, threaded adjusting member engaging each bolt shank and passing through a perforation in the bottom member of said rectangu- BldB members pivotally mount d in sai lar frame, means on each adjusting member adapted to engage the under surface of the lower member of said rectangular frame, each adjusting member being constructed and arranged to be turned, and a locking means engaging each adjusting member to prevent inadvertent turning thereof.

10. In weighin scales of the nature described, the combmat'zon of a housing, a stationary abutment thereon. a rectangular frame comprising top, bottom and side members pivotally mounted in said housing so that the bottom member shall initially have a predetermined position relative to said abutment, a beam pivotally suspended in said housing, springs, and means connecting said springs to the outer ends of said beam and to the bottominember of said rectangular frame, said means comprisin a bolt having a shank ortion formed wit a screw thread for ad ustably engaging the convolutions of said spring and formed with a portion constructed and arranged to be engaged by a tool for turning said shank, an adjusting screw connected to said bolt shank, and a set screw for preventing the inadvertent rotation of said adjusting screw.

11. In weighing scales of the nature described, the combination of a casing having a stationary abutment thereon, a rectangular frame in said casing, said rectangular frame having top, bottom and side members, said rectangular frame being pivotally mounted in said casing so that the lower member of said frame shall have an initial predetermined position relative to said abutprising bolts, each having a shank formed with a. screw thread adjustably to engage the convolutions of a spring and each provided with a portion constructed and arranged to be engaged by a tool for turning the shank, a threaded member adjustablv connecting each shank to the bot-tom member of the rectangular frame, each threaded member assing through a bore in the bottom mem r in. the rectangular frame and havi means at its end by which it may be turne by an instrument, and a locking device engaging each threaded member for preventing inadvertent rotation thereof.

12. In a weighing scale of the nature described, the combination of a housing provided with a stationary abutment, a rect nlar frame comprising top, bottom and housing so that one of the members of said frame shall have an initially predetermined position relative to said abutment, springs connected to said beam and said rectangular frame, and means for regulating the tension of said SPllIlgS and for maintaining the pre- I determined initial position of said frame relative to said abutment, com rising threaded adjusting members, bolts ia'ving threaded shank relative to the cuIlVOlutlOlB of its spring and thereby to alter the effective length of said spring, each threaded adjust ing member assing freelly through'a bore in the base of t e rectangu ar frame and hav- 1n means thereon for engaging the under si e of said base, each threaded adjusting member being constructed and arranged to be engaged by an instrument to be turned thereby, and means for preventing the inadvertent turning ofeach adjusting member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

MATHIAS J. WEBER. I 

